My wife and I visited Oxford on a recent Saturday to attend the christening of our newest grandson.

We took the opportunity to have a night in Oxford, see the sights and have a dinner with other members of the family.

Our visit was not a happy one. Soon after we arrived, we visited Debenhams where, after some shopping, we decided to have coffee.

We sat near the escalator and soon I was spat on by someone travelling on it.

Apparently this is not an uncommon occurrence, hence the provision of umbrellas over many of the coffee tables.

The lady in charge of the coffee franchise said that it had happened a number of times.

We then went into Cornmarket and were appalled at the standards of cleanliness.

The litter bins were overflowing with the detritus of the many fast food businesses and, judging by the state of things like banana skins, they had not been emptied for some time.

We walked down George Street and had to step around what looked like a vagrant lying prone across the footpath alongside the New Theatre.

Outside the pubs, there was a carpet of cigarette ends and all the footpaths were covered in old chewing gum.

I was accosted by a male beggar in New Inn Hall Street, and by what appeared to be a female of Eastern European origin with a pushchair outside the Westgate Centre.

What I did not see during the four hours or so that we were in the city centre was any sign of a police officer or Police Community Support Officer.

My experience of Oxford was totally negative from the time I got stuck in traffic, trying to get to my hotel, to when I left - that is except for an excellent and very good value meal with my sons and their partners in Chutneys.

I used to live and work in the Oxford area and had planned to return with my wife to enjoy what I had remembered as a very civilised and pleasant place to spend a weekend.

Needless to say, it will take a great deal for me to ever come to your city again.

TOM WRIGHT Budleigh Salterton Devon